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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23336512">this wrath is hungry</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams'>Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>kintsugi [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shall We Date?: Obey Me!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Death Threats, Dying for your friends is the new trend, Empath, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, MC is dating everyone but this focuses mostly on satan, MC is non binary, Magic, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Protectiveness, Rage, Soul Bond, Stalking, don't touch MCs family, let's be real I just wanted an excuse to make MC go feral</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:15:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,436</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23336512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We will, of course, be discussing these threats,” Lucifer said firmly. “I let it go only just when it was nothing more than sticky notes and muttered words. I won’t be making that mistake again. You will have every protection necessary to ward off unsavory suitors.”</p><p>“Did Lucifer really just say unsavory suitors with a straight face,” Briar whispered.</p><p>Satan snickered into their hair. “He did.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luke (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!) &amp; Reader, Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Simeon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!) &amp; Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>kintsugi [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1669783</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>246</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>this wrath is hungry</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was just a plotline I wanted to write but wasn't sure if it would fit into FLILMM. I'm definitely going to be exploring the effect the different brothers have on Briar I just really wanted to have them go completely feral in this one</p><p>All stories in this series aren't necessarily meant to be read as being in the same universe but this can be read as happening somewhere further down the line of FLILMM</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Briar should have gone to Lucifer when they received the first letter. They should have gone to any one of the brothers they called their own; hell, they should have gone to Diavolo, to one of the angels, even to <em>Solomon</em>. Anything other than keeping it to themselves.</p><p>It wasn’t the first time they’d found morbid messages stuffed into their locker or tucked into the pages of their books. Not all demons were pleased with Diavolo’s plan and they were especially spiteful towards humanity. The threats were normal, but unfortunate. They couldn’t be stopped without extreme measures and Briar had insisted that Lucifer not do anything drastic when it had first happened.</p><p>They could take some bullying; they’d had plenty of experience being an outcast.</p><p>There was something about this letter that got to them, though. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the first threat that they’d received since coming into their magic; perhaps it was the fact that it wasn’t even an outright threat. Either way, the paper felt wrong against their skin. It was as if an invisible sludge clung to their hands even when they put it down.</p><p>The ink was smeared in some places, letters jagged and haphazard.</p><p>
  <em>Little lamb in a pack full of wolves.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>How long until one of them bites?</em>
</p><p>They’d certainly had worse things written about them, Briar thought. It was quite tame in comparison, really.</p><p>“Briar!” Luke called from the doorway. “You’re coming to lunch, right?”</p><p>“Be there in a second!” They stood and dropped the letter in the trash before hurrying to fall into step with him.</p><p>And for a time, that was that.</p><hr/><p>“Briar, you’ve got mail!” Levi shoved a small box towards them before ripping into his own stack of packages. Paper and cardboard fell in slivers beneath his claws, an excessive show of excitement that they’d gotten used to seeing.</p><p>“Is that the new game you’ve been waiting for?” Briar opened their box at a far more leisurely pace, puzzled over its contents. They hadn’t bought anything recently, but it wasn’t uncommon for Mammon or Asmodeus to buy them something without asking.</p><p>“Ghost Lover Zombie Apocalypse!” He agreed happily. His tail swiped the disk out of the case and pushed it into his gaming console to begin downloading. “It’s like, the most popular dating sim of the year.”</p><p>“Do you date ghosts or zombies?”</p><p>“Both, duh.” He riffled through his other packages to reveal several figures and a t-shirt. “You want to play? There’s a co-op mode.”</p><p>They barely heard him over the roar in their ears. Staring up at them was a picture of Briar, Luke and Simeon walking to class. Tucked in beside it was a curl of crimson. It wasn’t a small piece of hair by any means, and their hand reached up to touch the braid that hung over their shoulder, wondering how they hadn’t noticed its absence.</p><p>A multitude of feedback echoed back at them when their fingers brushed against the newest letter. Hunger, sickly and bitter, enough to make bile rise in the back of their throat. Anger, lining every jagged word like thorns. The promise of more to come lingering hot at the back of their neck, as if the person responsible was already poised to strike.</p><p>
  <em>I’m getting hungry, lamb. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Which meal should I go for first?</em>
</p><p>A surge of anger that was all their own rose in them at the very <em>idea</em> of someone laying their hands on Luke or Simeon. One of the strings that bound them to their pacts lit up; Satan brushed against the edge of their consciousness in muted worry.</p><p>Briar forced themselves to breathe slowly, the way Satan had taught them when they were in danger of being overwhelmed by one of the cardinal sins.</p><p>“I have to go,” they told Levi. “I’m sorry, I promise I’ll play with you later.”</p><p>He sputtered at their fast exit, but they were already pulling out their phone, panic tight in their chest.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Red Alert</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Briar] &gt; Where are you two?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Luke] &gt; Simeon’s at the bookstore with Solomon. I stopped by Akuzon to get some fresh ingredients for a new pastry recipe. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Briar] &gt; You need to go get back to the dorms. Now. Don’t go alone.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Simeon] &gt; Is something wrong?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Luke] &gt; You’re kind of scaring me…</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Briar] &gt; I’m sorry, I just have a bad feeling. I’ll come meet you, okay?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Luke] &gt; I thought you said not to go alone?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Simeon] &gt; Yes, wouldn’t it be wise to have someone accompany you?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Luke] Briar?!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[Simeon] &gt; Oh dear…</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Briar dropped the box in the hallway and took off for the house gates without a second thought. They were running on adrenaline and panic, emotions wrapped tight around their throat. They hadn’t felt quite so scared and helpless in a long time. Their magic had brought them comfort and their pacts had surrounded them in safety.</p><p>They’d forgotten how stupid fear could make someone. Forgotten what it was like to have to fight for every breath, lungs threatening to cave in on themselves with no other reason than their own mind working against them.</p><p>Their phone rang and they fumbled with the screen. “Hello?”</p><p>“Briar?!” Luke’s voice came loud down the speaker, shrill enough to almost make them wince. “We’ve been texting you non-stop!”</p><p>“Are you still at Akuzon?”</p><p>“I’m outside, they were getting ready to close.” He paused. “Are you running? You sound out of breath.”</p><p>“I’ll be there soon,” they gasped out. “Where’s Simeon?”</p><p>“He’s still across town with Solomon. He’s going to come get me soon.”</p><p>“Stay there, I’ll wait with you.”</p><p>“Did you at least call someone to meet you—”</p><p>They hung up and shoved their phone into the pocket of their jeans. They rounded the corner to Akuzon and nearly wept with relief when they saw Luke underneath the shadowed lights. Their sneakers felt slick against the cobblestone beneath them, but they managed to slow down without slipping.</p><p>Luke’s eyes were wide when he took them in; sweaty and gasping, trembling like they’d run a marathon. “Okay now you’re <em>really</em> worrying me. Are you going to explain now?”</p><p>Briar nodded and then shook their head. They bent forward to brace themselves on their knees, struggling to get the air back into their lungs. When they finally had enough oxygen to speak, they spoke to the ground. “I got this box with a picture of us and a piece of my hair. Whoever sent it threatened to go after one of us.”</p><p>Anxiety not their own filled the air and Luke quivered at their side. “What?” He squeaked out. “But Michael and Diavolo would never let that slide!”</p><p>“They can’t stop what they don’t know about.” They finally straightened to wipe some of the sweat on their face off on the bottom of their shirt. Now that they were starting to regain normal functioning capacity, they felt foolish. “I may have overreacted.”</p><p>“You think?!” Luke scowled, big eyes flitting about the shadows. “Did you at least ask one of your demons to meet you?”</p><p>Briar paused and grimaced down at their phone. “No?”</p><p>The screech Luke let out was ear piercing. “Well do it now! I swear, you’ve started losing your sense. I bet its because of all those pacts, I warned you not to—”</p><p>Satan picked up on the first ring. “Hello?”</p><p>“Satan,” Briar felt their shoulders relax some at the sound of his voice. “I know you’re probably visiting the gardens, but could you come meet me by Akuzon?”</p><p> “Of course.” There was the sound of rustling from his end and then footsteps. “Are you already there?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m with Luke. They just closed and I figured it’d be better to have someone walk us home.”</p><p>“You were right.” His footsteps sped up though his voice stayed as level as ever. “Don’t move. I’ll be there shortly.”</p><p>Briar smiled and thanked him before pocketing their phone once more. A sense of safety encompassed them once more and they let out a slow breath. Grounding was important, they remembered Solomon telling them. If they let the world get the better of them, it would be dangerous—for them and those around them.</p><p>“Briar?”</p><p>They opened their eyes to see Luke staring down at his phone with a pale face. He lifted it slowly to display a message that made everything they’d previously felt fly out the window.</p><p>
  <strong>[Unknown] &gt; Did you really think there’s safety in numbers?</strong>
</p><p>A picture of them followed and Briar’s head swung, trying desperately to locate whoever was responsible. Their hand shot down to their phone to dial Satan once more only for it to spark and die. They heard Luke’s do the same and turned to put their back to his.</p><p>“It’s going to be okay,” Briar whispered. “Satan will be here soon; we just have to stay calm.”</p><p>A low choked laughter traveled down the street. Slowly, one by one the street lights began to burst and go black. Briar’s shoulders pulled tight with tension, the effort of not flinching growing with every pop.</p><p>“I’m not as good a fighter as Simeon,” Luke mumbled. “I don’t—”</p><p>They caught one of his trembling hands and gave it a squeeze. His panic was beginning to cloud their own head; it was as if he was sucking the very oxygen out of the air. “Breathe, Luke. We’ve got a better chance if we stay calm.”</p><p>The light above their head flickered in warning. It was the only source that remained, save for the moon that hung high in the sky.</p><p>
  <em>“Little lambs…”</em>
</p><p>“On the count of three we run,” Briar whispered.</p><p>“Which way?”</p><p>“There’s a center to the left. Fly if you have to, I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“You can’t be serious—!”</p><p>“One…”</p><p>
  <em>“I think I’ll start with the angel, I bet he tastes <strong>divine</strong>.” </em>
</p><p>The laughter that followed was thick and painful to listen to. It grated on Briar’s ears as they counted down to two.</p><p>
  <em>“Or maybe a bite of both?”</em>
</p><p>“Three…”</p><p>The light above them blinked frantically, like a candle in a windstorm.</p><p>“Run!”</p><p>The bulb burst and rained down sparks and shards of glass. Briar felt something hot against their arm but ignored it in favor of shoving Luke ahead. A roar sounded from behind them and then the dreadful beat of something <em>other</em> chased after them.</p><p>A series of clicks grew closer and closer, until Briar could swear they felt it reverberate down into their eardrums. Luke tripped over a stray stone and went down with a cry. Briar cursed wildly and just narrowly avoided tripping over him. They crashed to the ground in the effort and rolled several paces before coming to a painful stop.</p><p>Blood ran down their arm from where it’d been scraped raw; they ignored it in favor of pushing themselves up to their knees.</p><p>Luke cried out behind them and they turned to fix their eyes on the monster that was hunting them. Truly, monster was the only word that came to mind. The beast had several bug-like appendages that kept their torso up off the ground. Legs that could have been human were shriveled and borderline useless under their abdomen. A face of eyes and teeth glittered in the darkness as it dragged itself closer.</p><p>Luke’s wings manifested, but the monster was faster.</p><p>A horrifying crunch rang through the darkness as one of the monster’s legs pierced through Luke’s upper wing. He thrashed against the ground like a pinned butterfly, mouth open to let out several ear piercing wails.</p><p>Gold was spilling out onto the ground.</p><p>Distantly, Briar realized that it was blood. Angel blood; a holy ichor most demons could only dream of.</p><p>And this one had one of their friends in its grasp.</p><p>“You—”</p><p>Briar’s legs shook as they forced themselves upright. Pain lit up in the places their skin had been rubbed raw by stone; their ankle protested their weight as if it had been sprained.</p><p>They ignored it all in favor of limping closer.</p><p>“Let him go!”</p><p>A laugh that sent spittle flying onto the ground erupted from the demon’s smiling maw. It sizzled and sent up a putrid scent that threatened to make Briar heave. Its satisfaction was like nothing Briar had ever felt before. It was like molasses against their skin; it made every movement forward harder, its stench thick and cloying in their nose.</p><p>“I said let them go!” They reached out to press their hands to one of its legs—gross, slimy legs, both hair and not, with small erect spikes that tore at their palm. They sent a wave of power through its body.</p><p>It was enough to make it stagger backwards in confusion, head shaking like a dog that had been sprayed with water.</p><p>Luke was crying against the floor, but Briar didn’t have time to comfort him.</p><p>“I know it hurts,” they grunted as they heaved him upright. “but you have to fly.”</p><p>Behind them the demon screeched. <em>“Lambs shouldn’t run, they should be eaten—”</em></p><p>“Ready, set,” Briar tapped into what strength they’d gained from both their magic and their pacts—which was quite a lot in retrospect—and sent it all into launching Luke high into the air. “go!”</p><p>Luke sobbed when flapping his wings tore at his wound. For a moment he tipped to the side, and it seemed as if he wasn’t going to make it; then his wings caught the air and he soared down the alley.</p><p>There was blood dripping down Briar’s face, into their panting mouth. It tasted like nothing and everything; like rust and earth and magic, as if the universe itself was spilling itself out onto their tongue. It helped block out the stench of the beast behind them, if only a little.</p><p>They weren’t fast enough to get away, though they tried. Helping Luke had damned them, but they didn’t regret it. If anything, they felt a vicious triumph.</p><p>A leg smacked into their back with all the force of a wrecking ball. It sent them flying into a lamp post hard enough to knock it over, and harder still to send them skidding several more feet into a wall.</p><p>Their vision cut in and out when they came back to themselves. For a moment they were sure they’d broken their spine. Pain consumed their bones, tiny tendrils digging themselves deep into the very marrow to ruminate inside.  </p><p>They let out a choked moan. Something wet hit the pavement under them.</p><p><em>“Stupid lamb,”</em> the monster snarled. <em>“should have waited your turn.”</em></p><p>Briar’s hands clawed at the pavement, trying desperately to heave themselves upright. The click of unnatural limbs sounded closer and closer, until they could feel the heat of death at the back of their neck. They choked on a scream when it rolled them over.</p><p>Dozens of beady black eyes stared down at them without an ounce of emotion. Distantly, Briar felt their fear and overall disgust of spiders rekindle with a vengeance.</p><p><em>“I’ll eat you alive,”</em> it ranted. <em>“Tear your flesh from bone, drink your blood and leave nothing but your bones behind.”</em></p><p>Something caught in their side when they took in a breath. They coughed through the pain. They were caged in with no escape, their body failing and with no help in sight.</p><p>Their demons were going to be so pissed.</p><p>Tears wet their eyes at the thought.</p><p>Hooked limbs reached for them, ripping at their clothes to expose more of their injured body to the night. <em>“Yes,”</em> the demon rumbled. <em>“you’ll make a good feast, indeed—”</em></p><p><em>Get up,</em> Briar screamed at themselves. <em>Get up you stupid human—</em></p><p>Their eyes closed instead as they waited for the addition of more pain.</p><p>It never came.</p><p>The demon let out a screech that had Briar’s ears ringing. It staggered away from them with a blade in its side.</p><p>There was a flash of brilliant white wings and warm brown skin.</p><p>“Simeon?” Briar croaked.</p><p>Their eyes blinked sluggishly to glance over at Luke, who stood with fear and determination on his face.</p><p>They knew Simeon was a good fighter. They knew he’d fought demons and won before, but the road was small and not suited for flight. The demon was large and had more than two limbs to grasp with, and it was only even angrier than before.</p><p>“Don’t get up!”</p><p>Between one moment and the next Luke was at their side. His eyes were big and wet as he helped support their head while they coughed. There was still blood spilling down his wings, creating a pool that Mammon would probably die to get his hands on.</p><p>How expensive was angel ichor?</p><p>It was probably illegal, Briar thought. Illegal enough to cost an absurd amount of money.</p><p>“You’re talking nonsense!”</p><p>Had they said that out loud?</p><p>“Shit!” Luke’s head glanced between the battle and their broken body. The sound of him cursing drew their attention. They’d never heard Luke swear before. It made something stir behind their ribs. “Where is Satan?!”</p><p>A good question. Did the demon that had attacked them have an accomplice? Surely if so, it wouldn’t be enough to overpower Satan of all people.</p><p>Then again, it wasn’t overpowering that had to be worried about, was it? If Satan lost control of his rage, he would lose all sense of himself. He wouldn’t remember Briar or Luke or anyone he’d known before. All he’d want to do was destroy.</p><p>Briar stirred at the thought. “Have to—find him—”</p><p>“You can’t even walk!”</p><p>Another painful cough wracked their frame, leaving them wheezing into Luke’s lap. There was blood on his robes, red and human instead of gold. It’d been smeared into the fabric where their face had been.</p><p>The crash of sword meeting limb drew their gaze away. Simeon was sweating, clearly struggling in such close confines with such a large enemy.</p><p><em>“Eat you all,”</em> the demon snarled. <em>“First you, then the human. Make the little one watch, tears will season nicely—”</em></p><p>“Briar—Briar, stay awake!”</p><p>
  <em>“Bring the bones to the gates, leave them there for them to find what’s left of their precious human, Lucifer will finally learn then—”</em>
</p><p>Lucifer—Lucifer would be devastated by their death, though he’d try not to show it. He would blame himself. They all would.</p><p>Satan would hate himself for not arriving sooner.</p><p>Mammon would curse himself for failing as a protector.</p><p>Leviathan would say that he should have noticed the signs, that he shouldn’t have been so absorbed in his new game.</p><p>Beelzebub would add more nightmares to his collection, more loss.</p><p>Belphegor would comfort him, even while adding yet another reason to sleep instead of live to the list.</p><p>Asmodeus would be furious over losing one of his own, and then he’d fall into a depressive guilt, so unlike him that it hurt.</p><p>And Diavolo, who believed in them and the exchange program, who had shown such care for their wellbeing—he would be crushed.</p><p>Briar’s breath rattled painfully in their lungs. Their chest threatened to break its way out of the confines of its prison to bare itself to the world. They were crying, grief for their lovers blooming out into the air.</p><p>If Simeon failed, they would all die. Diavolo’s plan would turn to dust, Lucifer would take the fall and everyone Briar loved would suffer.</p><p>“You—”</p><p>They dragged themselves upright, barely aware of Luke trying to push them back down. They crawled more than stood, taking slow painful steps towards the demon that threatened their very world. They didn’t feel human anymore. They felt twisted and wrong, like the demon in front of them with too many limbs, too many eyes, emotions so thick they were sickening.</p><p>One of their legs dragged behind them at an odd angle. Their fingers sank into the cobblestone, leaving behind deep grooves. Their teeth felt too sharp in their mouth, tongue hot with blood all their own.</p><p>“You <strong>dare</strong>—”</p><p>Something bubbled up from their chest. It felt like acid, eating away at muscle and sinew, bypassing bone and going straight for the heart, the brain. It burned and soothed; kindled the fire that had threatened to go out only moments before.</p><p>Simeon shouted as they drew close enough to almost touch. Luke tugged at their hand frantically.</p><p>Briar felt nothing. Heard nothing.</p><p>All that was in front of them was the demon. The demon that had threatened their family; the one thing they cherished more than life itself.</p><p>It whirled on them, eyes flashing, mouth opened wide in a roar.</p><p>That acid boiled hotter, found its way up their throat. Briar staggered with it, eyes flashing with a blaze of colors. The strings that connected them to their bonds were vibrating frantically, like a fly caught in a spider’s web, sending out vibrations; unwittingly calling for its own death. One shook harder than the rest and they reached out to wrap their fingers around it.</p><p>The beast raised two of its limbs and brought them down in an arch.</p><p>Briar pulled and their world erupted into screams.</p><hr/><p><strong>Threat</strong>—<em>crunch</em>—<strong>danger to</strong>—<em>break</em>---<strong>family</strong>—<em>snap</em>.</p><p><em>Tried to take,</em> Briar thought almost manically. They were blinded by a sea of black, hands ruthless as they tore at whatever was beneath them. Tried to take, tried to claim, <em>wrong<strong>wrongWRONG</strong></em>—</p><p>Distantly they could hear voices, feel hands on them.</p><p>They snarled in warning when those same hands threatened to try to pull them away.</p><p>It was <em>their</em> kill, no one else’s, and they would destroy whoever tried to take it away. It was their right to give punishment; an eye for an eye, a life for a life and oh, Briar had so many lives to make their kill pay for.</p><p>“Briar—Briar, you need to listen to me—”</p><p>They had to do <strong>nothing</strong>.</p><p>Something new snapped in their hands and they sunk deeper into the mess beneath them. A loud squelch followed after them when they pulled a hand free to tear at a nearby joint. There was a squealing in their ears, loud and annoying like a fly.</p><p>They growled at the noise, hands feeling for the cause. Something spasmed under their hands. They tested the hold curiously when the noise stuttered, then steadied themselves and <em>tore</em>.</p><p>They fell backwards with the force, tumbling head over heel onto the cobblestone. They were up again in an instant, ready to jump back in—</p><p>Except there was someone else now.</p><p>“Briar,” he said, hands held up in a show of nonviolence. His claws were green. It was an interesting feature, and one that made something like recognition cross their mind.</p><p>There were others too, they noted. Dark shadows a distance away, radiating nervous energy. Briar snarled at them in case they got any ideas before they turned back to the one who dared to stand so close.</p><p>“Briar,” he said again—was that their name?—as he moved closer. “You know me. Think, I know it’s hard.”</p><p>Their teeth snapped in warning.</p><p>He paused but did not lower his hands. He was close enough that they could pounce. They could have their teeth in his jugular in seconds and they shifted at the thought.</p><p>“You can attack me if you need to.”</p><p>That got them to blink in surprise. They frowned, head cocking to the side in a distinctly canine way. What did he gain out of letting them hurt him?</p><p>It didn’t matter.</p><p>“Out of my way,” they managed to rasp. Their voice sounded alien to their ears, a dangerous threat lined in knives.</p><p>“He’s dead, Briar. You don’t have to keep going.”</p><p>Their claws flexed. “And if I want to?” They snickered, wild and unsettling. Their head rolled back on their shoulders as they inhaled the stench of death. It was sweet on their nose; satisfying like nothing else was. It sated the monster lurking in their bones, but just barely. “He deserves it.”</p><p>They moved to step around him. He followed.</p><p>Another step; the same result.</p><p>They hissed in frustration. “<strong>Move</strong> or I’ll go <em>through you.”</em></p><p>“No, you won’t.”</p><p>And that was just insulting, wasn’t it?</p><p>Their patience snapped, already far too thin a thread to begin with. They launched themselves forward into his waiting arms. They rolled with the force but where they would otherwise be injured, he took the brunt of it all. He cradled them close like they could be trusted. Like their teeth weren’t close enough to his throat to rip him open, make him bleed out against the stone, make him—make him…</p><p>A wild whimper left their lips when his scent caught in their nose. They knew that scent, didn’t they? Old paper and drying ink, soft sweaters and tea, slightly bitter but always comforting.</p><p>“Oh god,” Briar whispered.</p><p>Satan’s hand carded into their hair as they began to shake. “Shh, just breathe, kitten, I’ve got you.”</p><p>“I—I k-killed—” their eyes flickered over to the pile of demon they’d left behind. They immediately regretted it when they choked up a mix of bile and blood.</p><p>There wasn’t much of a demon left anymore. Limbs were torn and strewn across the street; chunks of flesh thrown every which way, bone and sinew exposed and torn apart. The eyes had been ripped out and torn; what had once been a face turned into a pulp of brain matter and gore.</p><p>They were covered in it. Head to toe, black blood stained their skin. It was under their nails, soaked into their hair.</p><p>Satan brushed their tears away and let out a soft purr. “It’s alright, you’re safe. I’m going to pick you up, okay? You’re still very injured and we need to get you to Diavolo’s healer.”</p><p>It must have been taking everything he had to keep his rage at bay. Briar could feel everyone else’s, though they were dimmer than normal.</p><p>They must have voiced some sort of concern because Lucifer was there, eyes dark and worried.</p><p>“You took our rage,” he said somberly. “did you really not know?”</p><p>Satan said something above them, but their eyes were already closing.</p><hr/><p>Briar awoke slowly and with a groan. Their body felt stiff, as if they’d been locked in the same position for far too long. Their eyes opened to blink blearily up at the ceiling before they tried to move their arms. Weakness met their efforts, causing their weight to collapse back against the bed.</p><p>“Here,” someone murmured. “Let me.”</p><p>They were helped up into a sitting position, pillows propped up against their back. They mumbled their thanks before their eyes began to comprehend their surroundings. Their lovers were scattered about the room in various stages of sleep. Even Lucifer had drifted off at some point, his head rested on Diavolo’s shoulder.</p><p>Luke and Simeon were there too. Belphegor had cuddled up to them at some point and had his head pillowed on one of Simeon’s wings. Briar almost felt jealous.</p><p>“Do you remember what happened?”</p><p>They glanced up at Satan to find him watching them with a pensive gaze. Their brow furrowed. “I went to find Luke,” they started slowly. “then I called you. We were waiting and then—”</p><p>A soft gasp left their lips as it all came flooding back. Broken lights, a wounded angel, saving a friend, dying alone, a fight, and then—</p><p>“What did I do?” Briar stared down at their hands in horror. There was no sign of blood anywhere, only bandages and healing wounds.</p><p>“You nearly got yourself killed.” Satan sighed and sat down. He took one of their hands in his own to ease some of the sharpness of his words. “I got held up by one of the cats who decided to get stuck in creeping thyme. I sensed that something was wrong through our bond but I couldn’t tell what it was. Then you—pulled on something in me, and suddenly it was like I was empty of all rage.”</p><p>Briar’s eyes widened. What must it have been like to be free of what had plagued him his entire life?</p><p>What must it be like to have it thrust back upon him after finding out?</p><p>“I’m sorry,” they whispered. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”</p><p>“Well I’m not.” His head lifted defiantly. He had all the air of a prince, all he needed was a crown. “It saved your life. A combination of Luke’s blood and our power helped heal the worst of your injuries. You summoned all of us when you used the pacts. We only had to follow the strings.”</p><p>“Is that why I feel like I was hit by a tank?”</p><p>“You feel that way because you were thrown hard enough to make a dent in a brick wall.” Lucifer’s eyes met theirs from across the room, disapproval and relief on his face all at once. “By all regards, you shouldn’t be alive right now.”</p><p>“You have such horrible bedside manner,” Diavolo said sleepily. His smile was warm when he looked up. “I’m glad you’re awake, Briar.”</p><p>They blushed faintly. They doubted they would ever get used to receiving so much blatant attention from beings so powerful.</p><p>“You looked amazing,” Satan said into Briar’s ear. “I never thought my rage was beautiful until I saw it on you.”</p><p>Their blush deepened as they sunk lower into the pillows. “Charmer.”</p><p>“It’s only the truth, kitten.” He pressed a kiss to their temple. “Do you want me to wake the others or would you rather rest some more first?”</p><p>Briar considered that as they snuggled into his side. “Maybe a few more hours?” They said tentatively. “I need to wrap my head around the fact that I killed someone <em>and</em> somehow stole your sin.”</p><p>“You’re more powerful than you know,” Diavolo rumbled, looking every part a pleased dragon looking over his hoard. “I told you that you would do great things.”</p><p>“You also told me that I should do them by your side.” Briar let out a soft huff and pulled the blanket up around their nose to hide their blush. “You’re shameless.”</p><p>“We will, of course, be discussing these threats,” Lucifer said firmly. “I let it go only just when it was nothing more than sticky notes and muttered words. I won’t be making that mistake again. You will have every protection necessary to ward off unsavory suitors.”</p><p>“Did Lucifer really just say unsavory suitors with a straight face,” Briar whispered.</p><p>Satan snickered into their hair. “He did.”</p><p>Lucifer let out a put-upon sigh.</p><p>“The only unsavory suitors I want are in this room,” Briar promised, if only to ease the stress headache they could feel building around him. They smiled mischievously. “Scout’s honor.”</p><p>“Still doesn’t mean anything,” Mammon muttered from somewhere on the floor before rolling over to fall back asleep.</p><p>“Does too.” Briar pouted at the back of his head. The expression lasted mere seconds. “All teasing aside, I just want you to know that I—the only reason I was able to fight is because of all of you. And I don’t mean that as in because of our pacts.”</p><p>They had all three of their attention now, and they shifted nervously under it. “When that monster said that he was going to kill me to hurt you I couldn’t let it happen. I fought because this family matters to me above all else, and I’ll keep fighting for it no matter what.”</p><p>Diavolo looked a bit misty eyed when they dared to look over in his direction. Lucifer had the faintest of blushes and a very complex look on his face. Satan simply held them closer.</p><p>Despite the lack of words, in the moment they could feel how much joy Diavolo felt; how pleasantly happy Lucifer was; how in awe Satan felt to be allowed so close to them.</p><p>“Your rage doesn’t scare me,” Briar said, just in case that hadn’t been clear. They pressed a kiss to Satan’s jaw before their eyes scanned the room. “None of yours scare me.”</p><p>“Rest, dear one.”</p><p>“He means he loves you too.” Diavolo shot Lucifer a fond look. “As do I. As does everyone in this room. You’re one of ours and you always will be. Never forget that.”</p><p>“I can’t exactly follow up after the king.” Satan’s smile was wry and mischievous; they couldn’t resist tasting it. “My rage is yours to wield as you wish. As is everything else I am.”</p><p>Affection threatened to make their chest burst. It bubbled up into their throat, sweet and light and <em>everything</em>.</p><p>Fuck, did they love their demons.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm going stir crazy so if you'd like to drop a prompt or choose from my <a href="https://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/613700325091786752/obey-me-quarantine-prompt-list">prompt list you can go here</a></p><p>Comments are appreciated &lt;3</p><p>You can find me on tumblr @ my101fragiledreams</p></blockquote></div></div>
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